Now on Militants will be given offer to lay down arms and surrender: Army

Local militants caught in military cordons in Kashmir will be given an offer and time to surrender, General officer Commanding (GoC) of Srinagar based 15 Corps headquarters, Lt Gen A K Bhat told media outlets on Saturday.

“The situation at present is under control,” Bhat said on the sidelines of an even at Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) regimental centre.

“From now onwards, every time, wherever there is an encounter, local militants would be offered to lay arms and surrender. They would also be asked to take time.”

The top general said army would love to see local militants surrender rather than engaging with them and seeing them getting killed in encounters.

On the protests about encounter which lead to civilian killings, the army officer said that young “misguided boys” gather and try to march towards encounter spots with an aim to disrupt “our operations.”

“We urge them to stay away from encounter spots. We also appeal the elders of the areas where encounter breaks to keep guiding the young boys not to risk their lives by going towards the houses where militants are trapped,” the GoC said.

“We don’t like to get involved with the young protestors at the gun fight spots.”

Lt Gen Bhat said said Hizbul Mujahideen received a dent in the wake of killing of four top commanders including Sadam Paddar, at Badigam, Shopian.

“Of course, after their killing, the morale of rest of the militants of (Hizb) has come down,” he said.

Six civilians were killed during protests at the encounter site at Badigam, Shopian in government force’s firing.